Death and the Idea of Material Body

Summary

The transcript explores the nature of consciousness and the concept of non-duality, challenging materialist views of existence. It contrasts solipsism with non-duality, explaining that while finite minds perceive the world, they are not independent. The discussion emphasizes that the material world, including the body, is an illusion formed by perceptions in consciousness. The speaker suggests that consciousness is the foundation of all experience, urging a shift from the materialist paradigm to a consciousness-based understanding of reality.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Non-duality isn't synonymous with solipsism, which is the belief that only one's finite mind exists and that all others are mere perceptions.
• 🌐 Infinite consciousness can manifest multiple minds simultaneously, similar to many whirlpools in a river, but these minds are all made from the same source.
• 👀 Our perception of the world, people, and objects is simply an appearance in consciousness, not based on independent material existence.
• 🔥 The process of death and cremation is described as just a change in perception, from seeing the body alive to seeing it burning and eventually disappearing.
• 🤯 We never experience objects made of matter, only perceptions that appear in the mind, challenging the materialist viewpoint that matter exists outside of consciousness.
• 🔄 A shift in thinking from materialism to consciousness-based understanding is essential for grasping non-duality; we can't reconcile non-duality with materialism.
• 🌱 Consciousness is the primary and irreducible experience, and any model of experience must start from that foundation.
• 🏛️ Materialism, the belief that matter precedes consciousness, is compared to a house built on sand—it’s unstable and not reflective of our true experience.
• 📉 Humanity's reliance on the materialist paradigm is seen as potentially destructive, and future generations may look back on it as we do on the Dark Ages.
• 🔮 If the consciousness-based paradigm isn't embraced, materialism could lead to the downfall of humanity due to its inherent limitations and contradictions.

Q & A

What is the struggle the speaker describes regarding perceptions of objects and people?

The speaker struggles with letting go of the belief in the existence of objects and people as independent entities. Even though they understand that nothing is independent, they still tend to think in terms of things and people existing materially.

How does the speaker describe their experience of a person's death?

The speaker describes their experience of a person's death as a series of perceptions, from seeing the living person to witnessing the dead body and performing rituals like cremation. They acknowledge that these are all just perceptions, not actual material events.

What is solipsism, and how is it different from non-duality according to the speaker?

Solipsism is the belief that only one's own finite mind exists, and everything else, including other people, is just an appearance in that mind. Non-duality, on the other hand, recognizes that multiple finite minds can exist within one infinite consciousness, unlike solipsism, which is a form of extreme self-centered belief.

How does the speaker explain the existence of multiple finite minds within infinite consciousness?

The speaker compares finite minds to whirlpools in a river. Each finite mind is a localization of the same infinite consciousness. The same field of consciousness informs all finite minds, allowing them to share similar perceptions, such as experiencing the same room.

What happens to a person’s existence in other minds when they die, according to the speaker?

When a person dies, their appearance in multiple finite minds disappears. However, the speaker emphasizes that the body, life force, and any perceptions of them were always just images in consciousness, not material entities.

Why does the speaker argue against the belief in matter, especially in relation to the body and death?

The speaker argues that matter, as we understand it, is a conditioned belief. In non-duality, everything, including the body, is an image in consciousness, not made of material. The experience of matter comes from a narrowing of consciousness, not an independent material existence.

How does the speaker define the relationship between consciousness and matter?

The speaker explains that consciousness is the primary element of experience, and matter is the narrowest form of that experience. Matter appears when consciousness narrows its focus, but it is not an independent reality.

How does non-duality challenge materialist conditioning, according to the speaker?

Non-duality requires a complete abandonment of materialist conditioning, which starts with the belief that matter exists first and consciousness is secondary. In non-duality, consciousness comes first, and matter is simply an appearance within it.

What does the speaker mean when they say 'replace the matter model with the consciousness model'?

The speaker means that instead of viewing reality as made up of matter from which consciousness arises, we should start with consciousness as the fundamental reality from which all experiences, including the perception of matter, arise.

How does the speaker believe future generations will view materialism?

The speaker believes that future generations, possibly in 5,000 years, will look back on materialism as a primitive and misguided belief, similar to how we view the Dark Ages. They argue that materialism is unsustainable and could lead to the destruction of humanity.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Struggle with Perceptions of Life and Death

The speaker expresses difficulty letting go of the conviction that there are objects and people, even though they acknowledge non-duality and interconnectedness. They describe their perception of death, such as preparing and burning a body in a Hindu ritual. They recognize that all experiences, including life and death, are just perceptions. The speaker wrestles with the concept of solipsism, the belief that only one's mind exists, and contrasts it with non-duality, which accepts the possibility of multiple minds or experiences existing simultaneously in infinite consciousness.

05:02

🧠 Questioning the Nature of Matter and Consciousness

The speaker challenges the belief in a body made of matter, suggesting that what is perceived, even a dead body, is an image in the mind rather than an actual material object. They argue that our experience of matter is conditioned by materialist thinking, and true experience is rooted in consciousness, not physical substance. The speaker emphasizes that consciousness comes before matter, and that the belief in matter as independent of consciousness is an illusion.

10:03

🏛 Building a Paradigm on Consciousness

The speaker discusses how any model of experience must be based on consciousness, which is the most fundamental aspect of experience. They compare materialist thinking to a house of cards built on shaky foundations, urging that a consciousness-based model is the only solid ground. The speaker hopes that in the distant future, materialism will be seen as a primitive belief, much like how we now view the Dark Ages. They also suggest that materialism could lead to the destruction of humanity if it continues to dominate, as it inherently contradicts the essence of life and consciousness.

Keywords

💡Non-duality

Non-duality refers to the philosophical concept that there is no fundamental separation between the self and the universe. In the context of the video, it challenges the materialist view of reality, suggesting that consciousness is primary and that all experiences, including people and objects, are perceptions within consciousness. The speaker emphasizes that non-duality is often misunderstood, especially in contrast to solipsism.

💡Consciousness

Consciousness is described as the fundamental and primary aspect of reality. In the video, the speaker argues that consciousness exists first, and all experiences of the world, including the perception of matter, are localizations of this infinite consciousness. This idea counters the materialist view, which suggests that matter precedes consciousness.

💡Materialism

Materialism is the belief that matter is the fundamental substance of reality and that consciousness is a byproduct of material processes. The speaker critiques materialism as a 'house of cards,' suggesting it is an outdated paradigm that fails to explain the true nature of reality, which he believes is rooted in consciousness rather than matter.

💡Perception

Perception refers to the sensory experiences that inform our understanding of reality. In the video, the speaker explains that what we perceive as the physical world, including objects and people, are merely perceptions within consciousness, rather than independent entities made of matter. This challenges the common view that what we perceive corresponds to an external, material reality.

💡Solipsism

Solipsism is the philosophical idea that only one's own mind exists and that everything else is merely a projection or appearance within it. The speaker emphasizes that non-duality is often confused with solipsism but clarifies that non-duality allows for multiple 'finite minds' that share experiences, whereas solipsism denies the existence of anything outside one's own mind.

💡Finite Mind

The finite mind refers to individual consciousness or a localized experience within the broader infinite consciousness. The speaker describes how each person has a finite mind that draws information from the collective field of consciousness, allowing multiple people to perceive the same environment while remaining fundamentally part of the same infinite awareness.

💡Illusion

The concept of illusion in the video refers to the mistaken belief that objects, people, and the world are made of solid matter. The speaker explains that this belief is an illusion, as these experiences are simply appearances in consciousness. The reality, according to the speaker, lies in the consciousness itself, not in the material world.

💡Death

Death in the context of the video is discussed not as the end of a person but as the cessation of an image or perception in consciousness. The speaker describes how the body appears in different states—from life to death—and eventually disappears, but this entire process is viewed as changes in perception rather than the transformation of a material object.

💡Mind

The mind is presented as a localization of consciousness that allows for the experience of form and perception. The speaker discusses how the mind works by narrowing the infinite field of consciousness to create experiences of the world, such as objects, bodies, and environments. The mind, in this view, is a tool for experiencing the world within the broader context of infinite consciousness.

💡Matter

Matter is described as a concept arising from the materialist worldview, which holds that physical substances exist independently of the mind. The speaker rejects this view, suggesting that matter is merely a subset of consciousness. According to the video, matter only seems to exist because consciousness localizes into perceptions that we interpret as material objects.

Highlights

The speaker discusses the struggle of letting go of the conviction that objects and people exist independently.

The speaker highlights the experience of death and how perceptions of life and death are all registered in the mind.

The concept of solipsism is explored, emphasizing that solipsism is a belief in the sole existence of one's own mind, contrasting with non-duality.

Non-duality is explained as an understanding where multiple finite minds exist, all drawing from a single source of infinite consciousness.

The speaker likens finite minds to whirlpools in a river, each being a localization of the same infinite field of consciousness.

When a person dies, the body remains, but the life force disappears. The speaker notes that this is a perception in the mind, not an objective reality.

The idea that we never experience a body made of matter is discussed, proposing that our experience of the body is an image in the mind.

The belief in matter and the materialist conditioning are criticized, as they conflict with non-dual understanding.

The speaker argues that consciousness is the primary experience, not matter, reversing the traditional materialist view.

Matter is described as a narrow element of our experience that appears when consciousness focuses on the waking state.

The speaker asserts that the body and world are subsets of the mind, and the mind is a localization of consciousness.

The speaker explains that when a body stops appearing in awareness, its reality doesn't disappear, as everything is part of consciousness.

Experience is considered real, but the belief that the world is made out of matter is deemed an illusion.

The speaker emphasizes that non-duality requires replacing the materialist model with the consciousness model to align with reality.

The speaker predicts that in the distant future, materialism will be looked back on as a limited and erroneous paradigm, much like the dark ages.

Transcripts

I'm just asking a curiosity question

follow-up from that one and it's about

letting the conviction that there are

objects and matter go and I struggle a

lot to let that go because I

automatically think there are things and

people even though not that we are

independent but I'm still thinking there

are things and people and I wanted to

just follow up on that a description of

when someone dies so when someone is

alive I know them by seeing them by

hearing them to all the perceptions and

then if I hurt them or something so I

have an experience like that and then

when they die I'm I'm washing the body

for example and I'm preparing it for

burning and then I see the body burning

right and I will put the stick on the

head in Hinduism to break the skull all

these are perceptions only perceptions

so it's a concept in my mind that you

know the person was alive and now the

person is dead actually it's all only

perceptions that I'm registering

we can't say that another person or the

world is that it's only existence is in

our our finite mind that would be

solipsism to understand what I mean

solipsism is the belief that only my

finite mind exists and that all of you

are just an appearance in my finite mind

it's it's on the contemporary non-dual

scene it is quite often misunderstood

it's quite often believed to be

synonymous with non duality it's not

solid system is a kind of madness it

believing that only no not your mind my

mind and yes there's only my mind you

are just an appearance in my mind all

you are isn't appearance in my mind

you don't have any no thoughts apart

from the thought that I am having the

only perception there is is the

perception that I am having now that all

of you are just a perception in my mind

and the fact that we seem to be talking

and it appears that you are having

feelings and not at all you are not

having feelings or thoughts because you

are just an appearance in my mind this

is not non duality you

there is nothing to suggest that in

infinite consciousness there cannot be

several in fact billions of

precipitations at the same time just as

there can be many whirlpools in a river

the stuff that each precipitation is

made of is the same each precipitation

collapses or is a localization of the

same infinite field it is one field and

this this single field of consciousness

precipitates as the finite mind in order

to experience form so there's no reason

why the same information shouldn't

appear in two finite minds yes no no I I

realize oh you're good with that so for

instance now there could be there could

be 80 finite minds and this room could

be appearing in each of those finite

minds so each fine our mind is drawing

the same not exactly the same but

similar information from the collective

field and therefore we all experience

the same room it's because our finite

minds are all informed by the same

source by the same field they're all

precipitations of the same field

so when when someone dies that that

particular that that appearance in in

your finite mind and in all finite minds

it it disappears the body remains for a

while but the life forces but you see

when when you say the body that the body

we never experienced a body made out of

matter I mean but the view or the

sensation of the dead body you say but

that's mine that's an image in your mind

and an image in many people's minds it's

it's so an image can disappear out of

the mind but we never experience the

object made out of matter in order to

experience something made out of matter

we would have to find something outside

the mind can you find something outside

the mind why do you have such a

tenacious belief in the existence of

matter then I'm breaking them so you

know seeing the life force has left this

body but actually no that's just an

image in my mind you know the old

beliefs like um when I see a dead body

I'm like oh this is not the person I

knew because this is just flesh like

there's no life force but it's not even

flesh it's not you see your your

materialist conditioning and we will

have this materialist conditioning I'm

not singling you out this this you're

trying to fit your old material is

conditioning into non duality trying to

work out how this stuff made out of

flesh made out of matter

can still be consistent with the

non-dual understanding it can't we have

to you have to completely forget our

materialistic conditioning materialistic

conditioning starts with the belief

matter was here first and consciousness

is a derivative of matter our experience

is the opposite consciousness is here

first

mind is a localization of consciousness

and what we call matter appears in mind

so matter is that narrowest element of

our experience he comes into existence

when consciousness narrows its focus as

it broadens its focus out of the waking

state into the dream said that this

concrete staff called matter disappears

matter is the smallest element of our

experience the body and the world are

the smallest elements of experience they

are subsets of the mind and the mind in

turn is a localization of consciousness

that is our experience yeah what is your

primary experience yeah in order for

there to be any experience

there must be consciousness

consciousness was here first yeah so now

if I flip it then that body just stopped

appearing and awareness yes that object

just stopped appearing in awareness yes

and it just so happened that it stopped

appearing in stages first it appeared

there animated then it appeared lying

then it appeared on a burning heart and

then he didn't appear yes but there was

never at any stage and separate and

independently existing object called

a body made out of stuff called matter

when he was fully alive when he was sick

when he was dying when he was dead when

he was burning and no stage was it made

out of stuff called matter it was just

an image appearing in consciousness it

was a it was yes it's amazing

yes yeah in other words when the when

the so-called body disappears it's

reality doesn't

that's what Hein Poe meant people ignore

the reality of the illusory world it

doesn't mean that our experience is

illusory experience is real but to

believe that the world is made out of

star cordon matter is an illusion and we

ignore the reality of experience

consciousness and believe instead the

illusion matter I think I've got it you

see it's a its own a reversal in the way

we think we have to replace the matter

model with the consciousness model we

cannot fit non duality into the matter

model it's it's it we have to start

again we have to start with our

experience because experience must be

the test of reality what is the primary

element of our experience consciousness

so if we want to build a model of

experience if we want to build a

paradigm then we have to start on solid

ground we have to start with our

experience if you start with a concept

everything you build upon that will only

be as good as your starting point it's

like a house of cards it's like a house

exactly it's like a house built on sand

so we have to go back and back about

what is my primary experience my primary

irreducible experience by the reduce

blaming we can't go further

back in our experience it gets

consciousness okay so start there there

is consciousness I am consciousness

everything that appears appears in me it

is mind clawing exactly yes you know a

materialism is just of course we've all

been brought up with it for centuries

our culture has been dominated by

materialism but if if the human race is

still going in 5,000 years time

hopefully they will look back on on this

relatively short period of materialism

they'll look at it like we look at the

dark ages they'll look at it with

incredulity these people believed that

that this that is luck that this amazing

experience all came from something dead

and inert they won't believe and you

know it's a big flip you that answer and

if humanity is not still going in five

hundred years time it will only be

because materialism has prevailed a few

Manatee will not survive the materialist

paradigm it will destroy itself it's a

law it has to and we're seeing it yeah